Cincinnati Bengals tight end C.J. Uzomah had to be carted off the field with a leg injury during the 35-30 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night. Unfortunately, it appear the worst has been confirmed.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Uzomah will miss the rest of the 2020 NFL season with a torn Achilles.
Bengals’ HC Zac Taylor said TE C.J. Uzomah has a torn Achilles and will be out for the season.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 18, 2020
Uzomah had emerged as a bit of a safety net for quarterback Joe Burrow in the passing game. He had hauled in four catches on six targets for 52 yards while securing Burrow's first touchdown pass before he suffered the injury during the fourth quarter.
The loss of Uzomah clearly deals a critical blow to Cincinnati's receiving corps for the rest of the 2020 NFL season. After all, this team already had its work cut out trying to find its footing following an 0-2 start and now they will be without one of their key players on offense.
The onus will fall on tight end Drew Sample to take on an increased role as both a blocker and viable option in the passing game for Burrow. Sample and Uzomah were already tasked with filling the void left by tight end Tyler Eifert in free agency. He will now have to take on the responsibility himself for the rest of the season given the lack of current depth at the position.
The Bengals took Sample in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He struggled to fit the billing by catching only five passes in nine games as a rookie. Fortunately, he was able to show off his pass-catching chops with seven receptions for 45 yards in Week 2.
Follow Us
Subscribe